Riyadh accuses three reformers of campaigning for a constitutional monarchy

The first open session on the trial of three reformers was concluded yesterday amid intensive presence of political activists and reform advocates of both men and women.

The court accused the three detained men: Ali al-Dumeini, Matrouk al-Faleh and Abdullah al-Hamid of calling for establishing a constitutional monarchy in the country and issuing political statements and attempt to gather signatures in addition to violating the judicial authority in the country and contacting foreign mass media. The judge notified the detainees of the decision of the minister of justice to preventing three of the detainees lawyers to defend before the court.

Al-Faleh told journalists before the beginning of the session that he and his colleagues learnt about the trial unofficially one day before its beginning, adding they did not know of the accusations addressed to them, but stressed the treatment they received in prison was good.

The three men were among the other 12 Islamists activists held in the mid of March and were released later after they had vowed to "improve" their political behavior in the future. But they refused to stop issuing open statements demanding reform in Saudi Arabia.